Plate finishing machine



Sept. 2, 1941.

J. F. wlLsoN PLATE FINISHING MACHINE 2 Sheetis-Sheetl Filed Dec. 17, 1938 ...257 eZref a, ma?

Sept. 2, 1941. 1. F. wlLs-ON PLATE FINISHING` MACHINE A Z Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed neg. .17,- 1958 Patented Sept. 2, 1941 mi" l w l.2,255,018 Y PLATEFINISHING MACHINE James Wilson,VWestPhladelphia;Pa.gassignor Y to Wood Newspaper Machinery` Corporation,`

PlainfieldfNgJ,aeorporation of Virginia W Y A Application December 17, 1938, Seria1No.12v46,3i7 l f iiairs.- (C1. 29-21) i This invention relates to the type of machineY wherein printing plates, particularly stereotype,

plates, are shaved to the properthickness, cooled and delivered, ready for placingy on the printing press.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide means whereby, as the plate enters the shaving arch a blastlof. air is directed4 against the printing surface of the plate to remove any' chips or foreign matter whicnmay injure the printing surface thereof, when it isV clamped in the shaving arch; toprovidef'means whereby water may be directed on" either or both sides ofk the plate after itis delivered .into thecooling stand, and to provide means whereby'the plate,

passes over suitably arranged vair pipes "forblow-J ing water oft the inside of the 'plate before itsisr sent to the printing press.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter. `f

Reference is to be had to 'the accompanying drawings, in which l Fig. 1 is a side elevation zof a plate nishing machine showing a preferredfform, 'of

vention Fig. 2 is an end lview showing .thechip blowingE mechanism; Y e n Fig. 3 is a sectional view onthe Vli1 1e"3L-'3 of Fig.2;

` Fig. 4 is an end view of the Waltertblower mghr.Y

anism;

' Fig. 5 lis a longitudinal sectional view kof the Fig. 7 is an end View of mechanismin 6.l

as indicated by the arrow 1.

Referring to Fig. 1,V plate P is placed on a platform l for inspection. After inspection it is passed on to rollers 2 which carry the plate through the finishing machine in a well known manner, preferably along a downwardly slanting series of rollers.

In traversing the machine, the plate is` intercepted by a stop 3 which times the entering of said plate into a shaving arch 4 at the bottom of which it is halted by a stop 5. Said stop locates the plate within the arch 4 for suitable machining operations. After said machining, the stop allows the plate to move along into a stand 6, where a Water spray is directed against either or both plate surfaces. A stop 'I locates the plate in the stand 6.

erated by cams'in a well known manner, not shown, said camsvbeing secure-d to a knife" shaft 8. vTheshaft has secured thereto ya knifeblade 9 thatnishesthe innerjsurface of therplate, and it is Vnecessary 'that all operating parts be synchronized with said blade. i m

The knife shaft 8 is revolved bya motor I0' which, through'a pinion I`I vand chainlpZ, ,drives a gear I3 secured'tothe ,knife shaft. In this way the'knife"` shaft and lall mechanisms""attached`- thereto are putin' operation.

When the Larch 4 is clear and the knife blade 9 is in the proper position; the mechanism controlling the stop'3 Will causev said stop to depress and allow theY plate P to proceed into the arch 4. At this time a suitable cam'v I 4 `secured to theA knife shaft 8 has its `high part brought against a plunger 1,5 of`a valve lcausing'said valve to-"be put in operation" and releasing'ai'r: 'I he airv iis 'supplied from 'an outside source.v throughintake piping I1, through ypiping i8 into a manifoldibest shown' in Fig. 2. The blast'of' air is projected outwardly from the arch against theoutside surfaceof the plate before it enters thearch'` .j 'I ,.'Y 1' i -The manifold lI9 is laced; at theeritering end of 1 the arch'f'll and contains holes"'suitably` arL ranged to'directf jelts' of Yair against the entire'7 outer Ysurface of -the"plate to remove 4anyloose the-air valve f|6 willoperat'e on everyshaft'revoiff lutio'nto l'impinge air orV a similar fluid,V againstL the'- fac'e` of fthe printing-plate` a'syit enters thel Shaving-mh tually enter lthe stand 6 where vs'laterfsp'n ye'd through sitablefj-ets''causesthe Yplate Vto-'be cooled. Upon leaving said stand an accumulation of water remains on the plate, and that part remaining on the inner or concave surface of the plate would prove injurious to the press unless removed.

The plateupon leaving the stand 6 assumes a position PI at the delivery end of the machine. Secured to this end of the machine is a manifold 20, having secured therein air spray pipes 2l and 22 placed parallel to the plate and in such position that holes drilled in said pipes will direct air against the concave surface of the plate.

Air inlet piping l'la is attached to a valve 23 All of the stops mentioned above are cam opwhose plunger 24 is controlled by a cam .25 Se- Since occasions arise when there is no plateV at the position 4lPI during machine operation, the air exhaust through pipes 2| and 22 may not be desired. In this case an arrangement substantially as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 may be used. In this instance the plate, on moving along from the stand 6, is engaged by a suitably driven friction roller 29 that forces the plate along the machine until intercepted by a plunger 2'1 in a valve 28.

The force supplied by the roller 2S :and the Weight of the plate will be sufficient to cause the valve to be opened and release the air as previ-` ously described.

As shown in Fig. 6 the roller 29 is chain driven, from a sprocket 30, that in Vturn is operated by bevel gears 3i and 32, the latter of which maybe carried on the knife shaft 8 and derive its motion therefrom.

Having thusV described myinvention and the advantagesy thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the :details Vherein disclosed, otherwisethanas set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. In a plate shaving machine, the combination with a shavingl arch adaptedto receive a stereotype plate and a shavingv knife shaft, of

means positioned in front of the entrance to the arch for cleaning the printing surface of said platepneumatically as the plate Venters the arch comprising an air pipesupply, anfair pipe line supported from said supply, jets at the entrance side of the arch and connected with said pipe line, a Vvalve in said pipe line having a stem, and

a cam on said shaft for opening the valve and;

admitting air under pressure into said jets, once during each rotation of the shaft.

2. In a plate shaving machine, the combination with a shaving arch adapted to receive a stereotype plate and a shaving knife shaft, of means positioned in front of the entrance to the arch for cleaning the printing surface of said plate pneumatically as the plate enters the arch, comprising an air pipe supply, an air pipe line supplied from said supply, a manifold with which the air pipe is connected, jets communicating with said manifold and projecting outwardly from the receiving edge of the arch, a valve in said pipe line, ,and means controlled by the rotation of said shaft for opening the valve and admitting air under pressure into said manifold intermittently. i

.. 3. In a Vplate shaving machine, the-combination with a shaving arch adapted to receive a stereotype plate and a shaving knife shaft, of means positioned in front of the entrance to the arch for cleaning the printing surface of said plate pneumatically as the plate enters the arch, comprising an air supply pipe, an air pipe line supported from said supply pipe, a manifold with which the air pipe is connected, jets constituting exits from said manifold and directing jets of air against the plate, a valve in said pipe line, means controlled by the rotation of said shaft for opening the valve and admitting air under pressureinto said .manifold during each revolution of the shaft, a plate delivery stand, and

'means for directing a blast 0f air on the inside of a plate on said stand from said air pipe for drying the plate.

4. In a stereotype plate finishing machine, the

' combination with a shaving arch and means for holding a plate therein before being shaved, of means positioned in front of the entrance to the arch for cleaning thel printing surface of the plate of metal chips and other foreign matter before it is clamped in the arch and as it enters the arch.

5. In a stereotype plate finishing machine provided With a rotary knife bar shaft and a knife mounted thereon, the combination With a shaving arch, of means for-holding the plate in the arch before being shaved, of means positioned in frontV of the Aentrance to the shaving arch `for cleaning' the Aprinting surface of the plate of metal chipsy and `other foreign matter as the plate enters vthe shaving arch and prior toits being clamped therein, saidmeans comprising an air delivery manifold through which air is directed against the plate at each revolution of the shaft. f

6. In a stereotype plate finishing machine, provided With a rotary knife bar shaft and a knifeY mounted thereon, the combination with a shaving arch and means for holding a plate therein before beingshaved, of pneumatic means positioned in front of the entranceto the shaving arch for cleaning the printing surface. of the, plate as it enters the shaving arch and before being held therein.`

7. In a stereotype plate finishing machine, provided with a rotary knife bar shaft and aknife mounted thereon, the combination With a shav` and other foreign .matter vfrom the type surface of the plate Aas the same enters the arch and before the plate is lifted into contact with -the arch.'

' j yJAMES F. WILSON.' 

